SELECTED INDICATORS IN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: A REPORT CARD FOR CALIFORNIANS

Average Cost per Claim by Type of Injury

As shown in the following chart, there have been significant increases in average cost per claim for several types of injuries. From 1997 to 2003, slips and falls increased by 61 percent, back injuries by 59 percent, followed by carpal tunnel/repetitive motion injuries (RMI) by 56 percent.

On the other hand, average costs of psychiatric and mental stress claims appeared to have levelled off through 2001, increased slightly in 2002, and have been mostly stable since then.

From 2003 to 2004, the average cost for some types of injuries, such as back injuries and carpal tunnel/RMI, increased only slightly and appeared to be leveling off.

From 2004 to 2005, the average costs for all of the types of injuries shown below, with the exception of psychiatric and mental stress, have begun to decline.